Holodeck Date: Velocity
by Lady Arreya
Summary: Takes place sometime after the episode "Hope and Fear." Tom, B'Elanna, Harry and Seven play Velocity on the holodeck. Part of my "Holodeck Date" series. P/T, K/7.


Originally written May 1999

Title: Holodeck Date : Velocity  
Rating: T  
Summary: Takes place sometime after the episode "Hope and Fear." Tom, B'Elanna, Harry and Seven play Velocity on the holodeck. Part of my "Holodeck Date" series. P/T, K/7.

A/N: A shorter version of this story appeared in "The Flight Log." This is the uncensored, unabridged version. :) (yep, I got censored by the editor. :O I also had to cut some parts out so it would fit the maximum word limit.)

* * *

"Tell me again why we're going to the holodeck to play Velocity instead of lounging around in the resort program?" Tom asked as he and Harry made their way to Holodeck Two.

"Because Seven has become obsessed with this game ever since Captain Janeway introduced it to her. She wanted to practice with me. I told you that already," Harry said, slightly exasperated. "Seven's determined to beat Captain Janeway at Velocity one of these days. Though that's even more unlikely than you ever beating the captain at pool."

Tom made a face at him.

"So why did you have to drag me and B'Elanna into this?"

"C'mon, Tom. It'll be more fun with teams."

"If you say so. But I'm warning you now, B'Elanna and I are going to wipe up the court with you and Seven."

"In your dreams." The two friends continued their bantering all the way to the holodeck. They were still laughing as they entered Holodeck Two. Seven and B'Elanna were already there, absorbed in stretches and warm-up exercises on the Velocity court. Harry's jaw dropped at the sight of Seven. Although she usually wore form-fitting outfits, none of them revealed as much skin as this exercise jumpsuit did. His gaze lingered on the Borg implant on her right arm. He found those metallic implants alluring and intimidating at the same time.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed that Tom was staring at B'Elanna with a similar expression on his face. She was also wearing a low-cut, skintight exercise jumpsuit. Suddenly, Tom and Harry were glad that they had opted for baggier exercise clothes for themselves as the temperature seemed to rise considerably. Seven and B'Elanna were mostly ignoring them, though, as they continued to concentrate on warming up. Harry and Tom finally managed to tear their eyes away from the visions of loveliness before them and slowly began to stretch.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, Har?" Tom kidded him. "There's still time to back out."

"Not a chance. Seven and I are a team that can't be beat. We've been practicing a lot, remember?" Harry retorted.

Seven frowned impatiently as they continued their repartee. B'Elanna rolled her eyes.

"I've got an idea," she interrupted. "Why don't Seven and I play against you guys."

"Excellent idea, Lieutenant," Seven replied. She started walking over to the other side of the court in preparation for the beginning of the match.

Tom and Harry exchanged uneasy glances. This was not what they had been expecting. Both B'Elanna and Seven were extremely competitive and would not take well to losing.

B'Elanna knew exactly what Tom was thinking, but she had no intention of losing and gave him a look that told him so. From across the room, Seven looked expectantly at them, puzzled as to why the game hadn't started yet.

"Okay," Tom said reluctantly. Harry shrugged. They were still worried, but they picked up their phasers and walked to their respective positions on the Velocity court.

The Velocity target, a metallic disc covered with flickering colored lights, appeared in the center of the court as the computer signaled the beginning of the first round.

For the first few minutes, neither team gained the advantage as the disc whizzed around the court, accelerating as it bounced off walls. It ricocheted off the ceiling, heading towards B'Elanna at such a high speed that it looked like she would never be able to avoid it in time. But B'Elanna was determined not to let it hit her.

B'Elanna's incredibly agile and graceful, Tom thought as he watched her appreciatively. She managed to dodge the target at the last minute by diving to the floor, and Seven's accurate shot sent the disc flying in Tom's direction.

Tom didn't even see the target coming as it slammed into his left shoulder with a noisy beep. Harry glared at his teammate. His expression clearly said that Tom should be paying more attention to the target instead of his girlfriend's spandex-clad derriere, attractive as that may be. Tom merely shrugged, rubbing his bruised shoulder.

The round continued. Both teams were playing well, but Seven and B'Elanna had the advantage, since their skills complemented each other perfectly.

The disc whizzed dangerously past Seven's head, careening off a side wall and towards the center of the court again. Tom and B'Elanna both raced towards the target, determined to get a good shot at it. Unfortunately, they both jumped in the same direction at the same time. They collided and ended up in a heap on the floor.

Tom winced as the pain shot through him. He hadn't expected it to hurt that much, but he had underestimated her strength yet again. Even though by now she had broken enough of his bones during other activities that he should know better. He sat up slowly, realizing that the others were crowded around him, looking concerned.

"I'm so sorry, Tom," B'Elanna apologized as she gingerly helped him up.

"It's okay," he said weakly, still dazed from the impact. "I'm all right. Really." He hoped that his injuries wouldn't get any worse by the end of this game. He didn't relish going to Sickbay for medical treatment after a game of Velocity, especially not after the Doc's disapproving lecture early this morning as he had treated Tom's dislocated shoulder. Tom shook his head. He was just going to have to convince B'Elanna to go a little easier on him... in all of their recreational activities.

After a brief time-out, the game resumed.

A few rounds later, Tom and Harry regretted that they had ever agreed to play against B'Elanna and Seven. They were just no match for the two women. Tom and Harry were losing, and losing terribly.

"Unbelievable."

"Just remember, this was your idea, not mine, Harry."

"It's not over yet. We still have a chance –" He didn't have the opportunity to finish his sentence as the target bounced off of his wrist with a resounding 'thunk,' knocking the phaser out of his hand.

"Game over," the computer announced.

B'Elanna and Seven grinned triumphantly at each other.

Tom shook his head.

"You were saying?" he said to Harry, who was still staring at his phaser on the floor in shock.

Seven and B'Elanna were still busy complimenting each other on their brilliant strategies and moves.

"Remind me not to play Velocity with a half-Klingon and a former Borg anymore, okay, Harry?" Tom muttered to his exhausted teammate.

Harry shook his head in disbelief as the computer announced the final score once more.

"I don't think you'll be needing me to remind you," he muttered back.

"Good game," B'Elanna said approvingly. Seven nodded in agreement.

"The outcome was as expected. My visual acuity and hand-eye coordination are superior to those of humans, and Lt. Torres has more stamina and better reflexes due to her Klingon heritage," Seven said matter-of-factly. "But the two of you were challenging opponents," she added as she noticed the expression on Harry's face.

Tom and Harry exchanged dubious glances. They were exhausted already, while B'Elanna and Seven still looked like they could easily go for a few more rounds. Somehow, the exercise had made them even more appealingly attractive. Seven's usually neat hairstyle had loosened, allowing curling, damp, stray tendrils to frame her face. Her cheeks were flushed and her porcelain skin dewy with perspiration. Likewise, B'Elanna's hair was in wild disarray, her dark eyes bright and complexion glowing from the recent exertion. They both looked absolutely radiant. How do they do that? Tom and Harry wondered to themselves.

"Another match?" Seven asked.

B'Elanna stifled a laugh. Seven was perfectly serious, even though the guys looked like they were ready to collapse.

"It's almost time for dinner," Harry said hurriedly. "Why don't we meet in the Mess Hall and have dinner together?"

"Good idea," Tom agreed. He shot an imploring gaze at B'Elanna.

"Okay," she said, still trying not to laugh. She walked over to Tom's side and slipped her arms around his waist. As he hugged her back, she stood on tiptoe to kiss him lightly on the lips. Tom was in shock for a moment but then broke out into a wide grin.

"Is that my consolation prize?" he asked teasingly.

"Yeah," she said, smiling.

Tom shook his head, amazed, but delighted nonetheless. B'Elanna disliked public displays of affection, and it was rare for her to initiate them. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that public, considering that they were only on the holodeck with Harry and Seven. It wasn't as public as, say, the Mess Hall at the peak of lunch hour. But it still made him incredibly happy. Somehow, losing the game so badly didn't seem so terrible anymore. It was just a game. So what if every muscle in his body ached. He had to admit that this was still safer than Klingon martial arts with B'Elanna. Much safer. She seemed to actually like playing Velocity.

Maybe we should do this more often, he mused contentedly to himself, the pain in his bruised shoulder forgotten. B'Elanna was still in his arms, smiling sweetly at him, so he leaned down to kiss her again.

"I think I'm going to need a lot more consolation than that," he said with a leer. She happily obliged.

Seven had observed all this intently. Without warning, she walked over to Harry and kissed him squarely on the lips. The holodeck was silent for a long moment as Tom and B'Elanna stared at Harry and Seven. Harry looked absolutely stunned.

"Consolation prize," Seven said by way of explanation, her expression impassive. Tom and B'Elanna exchanged glances, deciding that it would be better not to say anything.

* * *

As the four of them sat at a table near the window in the Mess Hall, people were staring. Probably because they were all sitting so close together. The crew had come to expect that of Tom and B'Elanna... but Harry and Seven?

The four friends continued their dinner, oblivious to the stares and whispers around them.

"That alien ship was incredible. I've never seen such technologically advanced systems before," Tom was saying.

Harry nodded. "I can't believe we were so close to getting home..." he said wistfully.

Seven stiffened noticeably.

"Seven? What's wrong?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "I am... apprehensive about returning to the Alpha Quadrant. To Earth," she admitted at last.

"Well, that's understandable," said Harry. "You've never been there and don't know what to expect."

"I have studied the Federation database –"

B'Elanna snorted. "The Federation database!"

Chuckling, Tom agreed. "Seven, you're not going to learn much about Earth just from studying the Federation database."

"Then what do you recommend?"

"Well, we all have holoprograms of our favorite places on Earth and in the Alpha Quadrant. Why don't we take you to some of them?" Tom suggested. "That way, you can get a better idea of what it's like."

"Yeah!" Harry exclaimed. "I've got a program of my hometown on Earth. You'd love it."

"And if you don't like that, there's always the K'tarian moonrise simulation, Harry's favorite," Tom couldn't resist saying. Harry glared at him.

"What about you, Lieutenant Torres?" Seven asked.

B'Elanna stared at her plate. There weren't too many places in the Alpha Quadrant that she had fond memories of.

"B'Elanna?"

"I don't have a lot of holoprograms," she said at last. "Tom has more than enough for both of us."

"You have a few for some places on Earth, don't you?" Harry persisted, believing that she was merely reluctant to spend more time with Seven. "Beach programs or something?"

Flushing slightly, she responded, "I don't think Seven would like those. They're not very exciting."

Tom laughed. "Oh, I think they're pretty exciting," he told her with a suggestive grin. "Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa..."

B'Elanna shook her head warningly. "There's nothing to do there, remember?"

Harry was beginning to regret bringing up the subject. "Which programs of Tom's do you like, then?"

"Oh, I don't know..." she hedged.

"You liked my '57 Chevy on Mars holoprogram. We were there for over two hours last time."

"I liked parking," she corrected him.

"'57 Chevy?" Seven repeated.

"It's a type of car, a primitive land vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine," Harry explained. "Cars were the primary mode of transportation in the 20th century, and Tom has a quite a few car holoprograms, like the '57 Chevy and the '69 Camaro. Has Tom been teaching you how to drive, B'Elanna?"

She smirked. "No, but he's been teaching me how to park."

"To park? Why would you need to learn how to park if you don't know how to drive? That doesn't make any..." Harry trailed off, suddenly realizing what she meant. "Oh. Parking." He shot them a look of annoyance, as if to say, "Don't you two do anything besides make out in your holoprograms?"

"Parking," said Seven, searching for the literal definition of the word. "To park: to place or leave a vehicle in a certain place for a period of time." She frowned. "I fail to see the purpose of this activity."

Tom and B'Elanna exchanged glances. When it became clear that they weren't going to say anything further on the subject, Harry cleared his throat. "Well... in the 20th century, 'parking' sometimes meant something a little different."

"Explain."

"Uh... Um... Okay. It does involve leaving the vehicle in one place for a long period of time..."

"In a secluded place," Tom supplied helpfully. "Preferably with a scenic view."

Seven nodded in understanding. Obviously, these particular holoprograms were settings for amorous activities.

Harry decided it was time to change the subject again before she got the wrong idea.

"Maybe we should start with San Francisco, since that's where Starfleet Headquarters is."

"Good idea. I've always loved San Francisco."

"We could tour Headquarters, the Academy, and then go to Golden Gate Park, Fisherman's Wharf and the rest of the city..."

As they continued to discuss San Francisco, Seven observed her three companions.

It was obvious that Harry wanted to go back to the Alpha Quadrant more than anything. Tom and B'Elanna were not as enthusiastic about it, but they wanted to get back home as well. That was understandable. Their families were still there, after all.

Seven was relieved that Voyager hadn't made it back to the Alpha Quadrant, but she was no longer terrified by the possibility. After facing the alternative, returning to the Borg Collective, she had to admit that she would much rather return to Earth with Voyager. Now that she had accepted that, she was eager to learn more about the Alpha Quadrant.

"San Francisco sounds intriguing," Seven told them. "I would like to experience it."

"Okay. Why don't we go tomorrow, then?"

B'Elanna hesitated at that. "I don't know, I have a lot of work to do this week..."

"Come on, B'Elanna," Tom cajoled, taking her hand in his. "You need to take a break sometime, and it'll be fun."

She relented. "Okay, okay."

Harry beamed at her. "Great! We'll start with San Francisco, and then we can tour the rest of Earth and the Alpha Quadrant."

"As long as we don't overdo it," she added. "I like recreational holoprograms better."

"There's always Velocity..."

"Velocity was fun, but I think I prefer hoverball," B'Elanna said.

"The four of us should play hoverball sometime," Harry agreed enthusiastically.

"Hoverball?" Seven seemed puzzled.

"You've never played hoverball before?" Tom asked.

"I have not," she replied.

"Oh, I'll teach you. You'll like it," B'Elanna reassured her.

Seven nodded, listening intently.

B'Elanna smiled slyly. "Then we can play against the guys again."

Tom and Harry exchanged glances that clearly said, Oh, no, not again...

The End! :)

Author's endnote: The ping-pong scene in "Relativity" and list discussion of why Tom and B'Elanna were on opposing teams reminded me of this story.

And in case you were wondering what got censored...

The editor objected to the part where Tom gets distracted by his view of B'Elanna's "spandex-clad derriere." That surprised me, as I thought the part about "recreational activities" was worse, and that didn't get censored.

The editor also expressed disapproval that Seven and B'Elanna were in low-cut spandex while Harry and Tom weren't, but I decided not to change that. I'm sorry if that offends any feminists, but from what I've observed on Voyager, the women are more frequently less clothed than the men are. Why else would we see Seven in skintight catsuits and exercise jumpsuits, B'Elanna in a swimsuit, nightgowns, tank top, low-cut dresses, or nothing at all, Captain Janeway in low-cut dresses, nightgown, a towel, or nothing (she's "the nekkidest captain in Starfleet," as Jim Wright once pointed out), and Kes in a swimsuit and skintight bodysuits, while the men rarely wear tight, revealing outfits? Don't even get me started on the female guest stars' outfits (or lack thereof).

Okay, okay. Perhaps I'm merely perpetuating a sexist stereotype and shouldn't be. I'll be more politically correct next time, I promise. :)


End file.
